Built for £630,000 in 1978, the flyover was intended only to be temporary - lasting four years or so - until the new A 12 southern bypass - finally opened in 1986 - was ready.

There are other signs that the major congestion-busting bridge is showing its age, with multiple pieces that have fallen off.

Maurice Hyde says the flyover should be closed

In 1999, the then highways and transportation chairman at Essex County Council, Cllr Ray Howard, paid tribute to the work his predecessor David Fisher undertook to open it, and predicted that it was likely still to be in place in another two decades.

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However, Angela Hyde, a Great Baddow resident told Chelmsford City Council last night (Tuesday June 19): “The city are proposing 22,000 homes by 2036.

"There is an elephant in the room where it seems Essex County Council and the city council don’t seem to be going hand in hand.

"The elephant in the room is the Army and Navy flyover.

The flyover was built in 1978

“In January 1999 the then county highways chairman stated that he expected the Army and Navy flyover to operate for another two decades. That time is nearly up and we are no further forward to resolve this issue.

"In fact parts of the structure are adhering to the rules of gravity and falling off.

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Maurice Hyde added: “How come they are talking about putting a bus gate in when the Army and Navy is about to fall down?

"The whole of the bus gate is reliant on the flyover in a sense.

"I was a health and safety representative for a number of years and in my view it should be closed now.

"We need a new flyover and we need it as soon as possible and the city plans need to be put on hold until a new road structure goes in.”

Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford has admitted that the Army and Navy "has been neglected for too long" and is now looking to kick start a campaign to work for a long-term solution.

She says she is planning to ask to meet the Roads Minister in the coming weeks and Cllr Dick Madden is going to ask Essex County Council for evidence to support the case.

One Councillor has said it is 'riddled with concrete cancer'

An Essex Highways spokesperson said: “From regular inspections we became aware that there were potential defects in the concrete surface under the deck.

"Work was therefore carried out several weeks ago to remove any vulnerable concrete and to repair sections of the surface under the structure.

"Now that any such risks have been removed, we plan to carry out longer-term repairs in the near future. There is no significant risk to the strength of the structure and so the flyover is safe to use.”